# Scheduling full and incremental extract refreshes

*Tableau Data Analyst Study Guide · Publish and Manage Content on Tableau Server and Tableau Cloud · Last updated October 29, 2026 · https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/tableau-data-analyst/publish-and-manage-content-on-tableau-server-and-tableau-cloud/scheduling-full-and-incremental-extract-refreshes*

Full versus incremental extract refresh and why incremental must be set up in Desktop before publishing, how refresh schedules are created on Tableau Server and Tableau Cloud, the 7,200-second Cloud timeout, refreshing from Desktop, and who can be given the Refresh Extracts capability.

- Certification: Salesforce Tableau Data Analyst
- Exam section: Publish and Manage Content on Tableau Server and Tableau Cloud
- Study guide: https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/tableau-data-analyst

**Official exam objective:**

> Schedule data updates: Schedule data extract refreshes.

## What the exam expects

- Choose between a full and an incremental refresh and configure incremental refresh in the Extract Data dialog before publishing.
- Schedule a refresh for a published workbook or data source on Tableau Server or Tableau Cloud, during or after publishing.
- Keep a Tableau Cloud refresh inside the 7,200-second timeout by shrinking the extract or refreshing incrementally.
- Refresh a published extract of local-network data from Tableau Desktop, and know who can be given the Refresh Extracts capability.
- Key terms: **full refresh** (replaces every row with the source's current data); **incremental refresh** (adds rows newer than the last refresh, identified by a column); **refresh schedule** (a recurring refresh task on the site); **timeout limit** (the longest a single Cloud refresh may run before it's canceled); **Refresh Extracts capability** (lets a non-owner trigger a refresh).

## Key facts

| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Default refresh type | Full refresh | [Refresh Extracts](https://help.tableau.com/current/pro/desktop/en-us/extracting_refresh.htm) |
| Incremental refresh on the server | Only if configured in Desktop or web authoring before publishing | [Schedule on Cloud](https://help.tableau.com/current/online/en-us/schedule_add.htm), [Schedule on Server](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/schedule_add.htm) |
| Incremental prerequisites | All rows; not a sample; Aggregation off | [Refresh Extracts](https://help.tableau.com/current/pro/desktop/en-us/extracting_refresh.htm) |
| Source structure changed | Full refresh before incremental resumes | [Refresh Extracts](https://help.tableau.com/current/pro/desktop/en-us/extracting_refresh.htm) |
| Cloud refresh timeout | 7200 seconds (two hours), not configurable | [Schedule on Cloud](https://help.tableau.com/current/online/en-us/schedule_add.htm) |
| Several schedules on one data source | Run serially, one waits for the other | [Schedule on Cloud](https://help.tableau.com/current/online/en-us/schedule_add.htm) |
| Refresh Schedule in Publish Data Source | Not available to Tableau Cloud or from the Data Source page | [Publish a Data Source](https://help.tableau.com/current/pro/desktop/en-us/publish_datasources.htm) |
| Scheduled refresh of a database that needs sign-in | Embed the credentials | [Schedule as You Publish](https://help.tableau.com/current/pro/desktop/en-us/publish_workbooks_schedules.htm) |
| Refresh from Source | Needs the extract's connection to the original data | [Refresh from Desktop](https://help.tableau.com/current/online/en-us/to_refresh_desktop.htm) |
| Refresh Extracts capability | Explorer (can publish) or higher | [Permissions](https://help.tableau.com/current/online/en-us/permissions.htm) |

## Check yourself

- Why can a datetime column with more precision than milliseconds produce duplicate rows in an incremental refresh?
- When does an incremental extract need a full refresh before incremental refreshes can continue?
- Where do you see whether each past refresh was full or incremental?
- When can Append Data from File add rows to a published extract?

## Sources

- [Schedule Refreshes on Tableau Cloud](https://help.tableau.com/current/online/en-us/schedule_add.htm)
- [Refresh Extracts](https://help.tableau.com/current/pro/desktop/en-us/extracting_refresh.htm)
- [Refresh Published Extracts from Tableau Desktop](https://help.tableau.com/current/online/en-us/to_refresh_desktop.htm)
- [Refresh Data on a Schedule (Tableau Server)](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/schedule_add.htm)
- [Schedule Extract Refreshes as You Publish a Workbook](https://help.tableau.com/current/pro/desktop/en-us/publish_workbooks_schedules.htm)
- [Publish a Data Source](https://help.tableau.com/current/pro/desktop/en-us/publish_datasources.htm)
- [Permissions](https://help.tableau.com/current/online/en-us/permissions.htm)
- [Permissions, Site Roles, and Licenses](https://help.tableau.com/current/online/en-us/permission_license_siterole.htm)

## About the full unit

The "Core concepts", "Exam traps" and "Worked scenario" sections of this unit, its 5 linked practice questions, and unlimited timed mock exams are included with the Tableau Data Analyst pack (USD $19): https://www.certifyforce.com/practice-exams